March 23.

  -I have the initial approval, but I still don't have a crete response from the producers. There's a lot of magism, - Billy ented in a restaurant, as they settled in for dihe pce was elegant, ample privacy.

  Small seafood appetizers were pced in front of the two men. Jim Waiit, true to his , had ly trimmed bck hair, wore a well-tailored suit, and had a tie fasteightly around his neck. His promi hairline framed his oval-shaped face.

  -Your work in “Nixon” reciated, just like in “How to Make an Ameri Quilt.” It’s fantastic how you take on these small but signifit roles. If you establish your other lead in “The English Patient” simirly, and if you take on that movie “Independence Day,” we might get you on a sought-after list, and people will e to us with new roles,- Jim Waiit said.

  -Well, we do have advantages,- Billy replied, sav the seafood with each bite. The seafood was satisfying.

  -Satisfactory advantages indeed. Retly, there was a ission to resolve the issue of Michael’s departure. The pany is now divided, and everyone is fighting. CAA took a hard hit; some top members have moved to encies like William Morris,- Jim Waiit ented.

  -I’d call for rality above all,- Billy said.

  -I have some good suggestions, but nothing notable that aligns with my pns as they should,- Jim Waiit said as their main courses arrived.

  They tinued eating, and although their retionship urely business, Billy could call him a business friend. Jim rarely smiled, but he was happy now. Cultivating an actor as a symbolizes a shadow of proje that stands and shares stories of failure or triumph with the actor.

  -I’ve been thinking a lot about establishing an Oscar and Golden Globe for Best Animated Feature. How much we promote that from CAA?- Billy asked.

  Interrupting the evening, melodigs pyed at 30-miervals, giving people enough time to adjust to their meals. The 30-minute song break provided a new rhythm…

  -I , but it’s not very effective. Although the representatives have power, it requires many favors, and the political figure with such power was Michael Ovitz. It takes a lot of political capital to make that happen. For now, you py with the industries, but while you're fighting with Warner, it’s plicated. However, with time, new panies might help resolve everything,- Jim Waiit said.

  -I feared you’d say that, but there’s no other way than to wait for people to question why there isn’t an award for Best Animated Feature,- Billy replied.

  ***

  Raimon was reviewing the ats while Star Trek pyed on a small s beside him. He wore headphones because Rachel, who shared the office, couldn't tolerate noise during her work. The office was a sacred space.

  The stock market was booming, and Raimon was making some calls. Soon, he would have to go to New York with his father. He had saved 10,000 to i in stocks and decided to put it all into Apple, following Billy’s lead, his little goldmine. Raimon had also bought some shares in Microsoft and Oracle, seeing their strong potential.

  He held 2,340,000 shares of Cisco Systems, each at 1.91, totaling 4.4 million. Oracle shares were at 2.73, and he bought 4.7 million worth, approximately 9.3 million in total. Sun Microsystems shares were 1.23, AOL shares were 4.43, with a purchase of 12 million, and Qual at 2.66, totaling 3,023,349. Billy's dividend ine was sky-high. Raimon thought Billy might manage a fund exceeding 200 million in stock purchases.

  Actally, Raimon dropped his microphone, which started to buzz. Rachel's gre was enough to make him try to turn it off quickly, but in his haste, he banged his head against the desk.

  -Damn it!- he muttered, rubbing his head.

  -Raimon, turn that off,- Rachel anded.

  As he tur off, Raimon whispered, -"Billy doesn't like ics."- Rachel's stern look made him flee to Anne Hall, the sed in and at the pany, who o be part of Billy's strategy of using a representative to transfer ownership to pany heads, except for Apple.

  Anne Hall noticed Raimon in his childish Lion King shirt. -At least he’s wearing pany property,- she thought. Raimon’s presence suggested something important since he usually avoided her office.

  -What do you need, Raimon? - Anne asked.

  -Billy asked me te a power of attorney for the pany owners. He gave me power and representation, but he wants you involved too, - Raimon expined.

  She agreed but questioned Billy's new maneuvers. It made no sense for him to take over the pany’s statutes, naming Billy Carson as the shareholder. It was plete stupidity; there had to be something more.

  -Did he say anything about this? - Anne asked.

  -Not much, but I think he’s annoyed by wasting time and trusts these panies' growth, except for Apple, which he believes be used for disproportionate growth. It’s valid but eaiain mistakes. It’s mysterious. When he ordered me, he said it with that smug smile he uses when he knows something no one else does, - Raimon said.

  -You have no idea, - Ahought, recalling a meeting with Billy about the pany’s future. His exact words on the pany's vision, growth, and the idea of creating a special glomerate. A way to navigate people's ideas and the belief in success—it was almost a trap.

  -I don’t know why he’s asking for this now. There must be a reason,- Anne said. The small fund was in Billy’s name, with three representatives: Anne, Rachel, and Raimon. Raimon was the principal agent, using Billy’s private fund director authority for other businessmen.

  Even the on name Lux wasn’t used; a simir h slight differences was chosen, a generiame “Iments In, S.A.” It subtly ged the tone of the task.

  -e, let me review those dots, - Anne said, giving Raimon a seat.

  ...